


Showmanship

by Emerald Embers (emeraldembers)



Category: Warcraft III
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-10
Updated: 2010-04-10
Packaged: 2017-10-08 20:29:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldembers/pseuds/Emerald%20Embers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Boys being boys, and foreshadowing like anvils.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Showmanship

Being brothers - twins at that - it was no shock or surprise that Malfurion and Illidan should be rivals. And though most everyone could tell Malfurion was to be a druid from his inclinations and the way life seemed to spring up around him a little more enthusiastically than it did around others, he was once still young and impetuous enough to show off once in a while.

One of the ancients had been generous enough to give the young Malfurion a twig - a living one at that - for crafting a flute. And even if the end result made nothing that could under even the most generous circumstances be referred to as a tune, the purpose was still enchanted in there clearly enough to work.

"Watch me!" Malfurion whispered to Illidan before hunching so close to the ground that the flute almost stood in it and blowing so hard Illidan wasn't sure which would burst first, his eardrums or his brother's cheeks. Whether it was pride or strain that made his brother's cheeks puff up as he pulled back from the soil was difficult to tell, but it didn't really matter. "Do you see?" Sure enough, small and a little sickly they might look, but a tiny bunch of herbs had clustered on the previously empty soil.

Illidan grinned and patted Malfurion on the back before getting to his feet. "Yes. It'll take some time to one-up you on that one, brother."

Malfurion grinned back before rubbing his sore cheeks while settling to watch his little bundle of herbs take firmer root in the soil, looking as pleased with himself as any boy his age could.

.

Six months, as it turned out, and it had taken enough energy to have him taking himself off to bed early every day for several weeks. Still, with enough practise, he's managed it, and the awe on Malfurion's face as Illidan summoned the small flame to his left thumb, moving it up across his shoulders and down to the right thumb was so worth the effort.

Pretty annoying though to have his brother be so quickly distracted by something behind him, at least, until he turned and saw the source of the distraction.

Wow.

Yeah, being distracted by a girl like that was... was pretty understandable, and where had the village been hiding her or had she come over from another?

"I'm going to marry her someday," Malfurion said, and Illidan smirked before looking at his claws.

"Fight you for her."

.

Tyrande one-upped the both of them swiftly enough but neither brother was inclined to complain at the time given the situation. Bathing was something everyone did - had to do - and it wasn't as if they'd never seen other women of the village bathing, but Tyrande was different because... well, because she wasn't like a relative or a relative's friend, she was like them only smarter and stronger, and seeing her naked was just... different.

She'd caught them hiding though, standing up in full glory Illidan swore he'd never let his eyes forget before both of them became aware of the growing shadows overhead - even if they weren't paying attention as she stretched her arms to the sky because those things bounced, and it was pretty much impossible to look away until the lightning bolts literally started hitting.

Yes. One-upped. They weren't complaining.

"Did you see that?" Malfurion gasped once they were out of the miniature storm's way. "That was amazing!"

"I'll do better," Illidan said, nodding his head and starting to think how best to impress her.

Malfurion moved to sit against a nearby tree, folding his arms behind his head as a pillow and smiling. "I don't think I want to."


End file.
